Powder-box



(No Model.)

0. P. THOMAS.

POWDER BOX.

Patented May 22, 1894.

lNVENT H dam Qfliw Brag WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLOTILDE P. THOMAS, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

POWDER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,343, dated May 22, 1894.

Application filed March 30, 1893. Serial No. 468350. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLOTILDE P. THOMAS, of Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Powder-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Thisinvention relates to certain improvements in toilet articles, and more particularly to improvements in powder boxes. The object of the invention is to provide an improved powder box convenient in size to carry about the person, and durable and inexpensive in construction, and provided with means to apply the powder to the skin which can be easily and quickly replaced when it becomessoiled or for any reason. The primary ob ect being to provide such a convenlent powder box that a lady can carry it and easily apply the powder, and thereby do away with the ordinary powder cloth or the like.

An object of the invention is also to improve certain details in constructions and arrangements of parts whereby a portable powder box of many and great features of advantage and utility is produced.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a longitudinal section of the powder box showing the cover in position with the pad or the like in the box, and the perforated screen, cap, plate or division in the box. Fig. shows in detail and in perspective the securing ring and the pad shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section of the powder box showing a different means for removably holding the means for applying the powder to the skin, and also showing a difierent means for applying the powder. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the clamping means of Fig. 3.

In the drawings the reference letter a, ind cates any suitably shaped box of the proper size having an open top.

1), indicates the cover of the box, preferably, formed hollow to receive suitable means for removably securing the powder applying means. The cover is formed to fit and close the open end of the box and it can be retained thereon by friction or in any suitable and desirable manner.

In order to prevent the powder flying out of the box when the cover is pulled off, and to economize powder and prevent too much adhering to the powder applying means, I can, if found desirable, place a removable perforated cap or screen or partition 0, in the box. This cap is depressed or dished at the center so as to extend down into the box to receive the powder applying means. The perforations in the cap permit a limited quantity of powder to pass through to the powder applying means, but it prevents an excess of powder passing to the same, and it also prevents the powder flying out of the box when the cover is suddenly removed. This perforated cap can be removably held in the box in any suitable manner so that it can be removed to fill the box.

In Fig. 1 I show an internal bead or projection onto which the upper end of the cap springs.

In Figs. 1 and 2, d, indicates the powder applying means in this case consisting of a small bag or pad, preferably composed of a chamois skin covering stutfed with suitable material and attached to any suitable head e. This head can be constructed in any suitable manner so as to have a certain degree of stiffness, and preferably so as to project beyond the sides of the pad, and it can also be provided with a knob or handle as shown. In these figures the powder applying means is removably secured to the cover bya friction ring f, arranged to wedge in the cover, and at its lower end having the internal flange g, so that when the pad is inserted through the ring its head will rest on said flange, and then when the ring is forced into the hollow cover said ring will be held therein by friction, and will thereby unite the cover to the powder applying means, so that the cover not only closes the powder box, but serves as a handle for the powder applying means when it is desired to use the same. This ring firmly holds the pad in position and yet it permits easy removal of the pad so that a clean one can be substituted whenever desired. This is a very cheap and simple and advantageous construction. If found desirable the ring can be made of such length as to form the bezel which fits in the box and thereby unite the cover to the box when the box is closed.

In order to overcome any objections which might be made to the necessity of employing a pad or applying the powder it would be here stated that if desirable the powder applying means can be composed of a bunch of leaves or sheets of any suitable material such as chamois skin suitably clamped together and removably secured or otherwise fastened to the cover of the box, or if desired a piece of chamois skin can be folded a desirable number of times and then secured to the cover. The object of these arrangements is to permit removal and substitution of any sheet which may have become soiled, as the outside sheet, where a bunch is employed such as shown in Fig. 3 in which case when the outside sheet becomes soiled it can be removed without disturbing the inside sheet and a new outside sheet can be substituted therefor. In the case of the folded piece of material when its outer surfaces become soiled it can be refoldedso as to present new and clean surfaces.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show aremovable clamp for holding the powder applying means to the cover. This clamp is particularly designed to receive the powder applying means composed-of sheets of chamois skin or other material or folded piece of material. This clamp is composed of two jaws 71. h, having their ends brought in together and pivoted so that the jaw can swing to release the powder applying material or to clamp the same. The two jaws are so formed that when the mate rial is placed between the same and the jaws are forced into the cover, the sides of the jaws engaging the cover will be forced in thereby tightly clamping the material, the clamp being held inthe cover by friction and firmly and rigidly maintaining the outer applying means between them. This clamp is to extend below the cover and form the bezel to enter the open end of thebox. I-IoweverI do not limit myself to any such construction but prefer to arrange it as I deem most advisable in the future. The pivotal point of the clamp can be formed in'any suitable manner, and they are preferably formed so that the ends of the jaws are located in the same plane, the extreme end of one of the jaws being slightly depressed between the end of the other jaw, and if desired the pivotal point can be formed bytwo depressions or small bosses formed in the extremities of the two jaws as clearly shown and described. However this is a mere matter of mechanical construction and I do not wish to limit myself to any such arrangement of parts.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a powder box, the combination of the box, a perforated dished screen frictionally and removably located in the powder box so as to extend down into the same, a removable cover for said box, and a powder applying means carried by said cover and extending down into said screen, so as to be surrounded by the screen substantially as described.

2. A powder box having the hollow cover and powder applying means carried by said cover, and an internal ring fitted in the cover for removably securing the powder applying means, substantially as described.

3. The powder box having the hollow cover, powder applying means removably located in the hollow cover so as to extend down into the box and so that the cover will form the handle for said means and a clamp for said means removably and frictionally located in the hollow cover, substantially as described.

l. The powder box consisting of a box proper, the hollow cover therefor, the powder pad having lateral edges at its upper end and a clamping ring frictionally and removably located in said cover and having the inwardly extending flange or projection to retain said pad removably in the cover.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLOTILDE P. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

HUBERT E. PEOK, CHARLES M. WERLE. 

